History of the Development of China’s Valve Industry (2)

The initial stage of the valve industry (1949-1959)

01Organize to serve the recovery of the national economy

The period from 1949 to 1952 was the period of my country’s national economic recovery. Due to the needs of economic construction, the country urgently needs a large number of valves, not only low pressure valves, but also a batch of high and medium pressure valves that were not manufactured at that time. How to organize valve production to meet the urgent needs of the country is a heavy and arduous task.

1. Guide and support production

In accordance with the policy of “developing production, prospering the economy, taking into account both public and private, and benefiting both labor and capital”, the people’s government adopts the method of processing and ordering, and vigorously supports private medium and small enterprises to reopen and produce valves. On the eve of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Shenyang Chengfa Iron Factory finally closed its business due to its heavy debts and no market for its products, leaving only 7 workers to guard the factory, and sold 14 machine tools to maintain expenses. After the founding of New China, with the support of the people’s government, the factory resumed production, and the number of employees in that year increased from 7 to 96 when it started. Subsequently, the factory accepted material processing from Shenyang Hardware Machinery Company, and the production took on a new look. The number of employees increased to 329, with an annual output of 610 sets of various valves, with an output value of 830,000 yuan. During the same period in Shanghai, not only private enterprises that had produced valves reopened, but with the recovery of the national economy, a large number of private small enterprises opened or switched to producing valves, which made the organization of the Construction Hardware Association at that time expand rapidly.

2. Unified purchase and sales, organize valve production

With a large number of private enterprises turning into valve production, the original Shanghai Construction Hardware Association has been unable to meet the requirements of development. In 1951, Shanghai valve manufacturers established 6 joint ventures to undertake the processing and ordering tasks of the Shanghai Purchasing Supply Station of China Hardware Machinery Company, and implement unified purchase and sales. For example, Daxin Iron Works, which undertakes the task of large nominal size low-pressure valves, and Yuanda, Zhongxin, Jinlong and Lianggong Machinery Factory, which undertakes the production of high- and medium-pressure valves, are all supported by the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Public Utilities, the Ministry of Industry of East China and the Central Fuel. Under the guidance of the Petroleum Administration of the Ministry of Industry, direct orders are implemented, and then turn to processing orders. The People’s Government has helped private enterprises overcome the difficulties in production and sales through the unified purchase and sales policy, initially changed the economic anarchy of private enterprises, and improved the production enthusiasm of business owners and workers, who are extremely backward in technology, equipment and factory conditions Under the circumstances, it has provided a large number of valve products for key enterprises such as power plants, steel plants and oil fields to resume production.

3. Development for the restoration of national economic construction services

In the first five-year plan, the state has identified 156 key construction projects, of which the restoration of Yumen Oil Field and Anshan Iron and Steel Company’s production are two large-scale projects. In order to resume production in Yumen Oilfield as soon as possible, the Petroleum Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Fuel Industry organized the production of petroleum machinery parts in Shanghai. Shanghai Jinlong Hardware Factory and others have undertaken the task of trial-producing a batch of medium-pressure steel valves. It is conceivable to imagine the difficulty of trial-producing medium-pressure valves by small workshop-style factories. Some varieties can only be imitated according to the samples provided by users, and the real objects are surveyed and mapped. Since the quality of the steel castings was not good enough, the original cast steel valve body had to be changed to forgings. At that time, there was no drilling die for the oblique hole processing of the globe valve body, so it could only be drilled by hand, and then corrected by a fitter. After overcoming many difficulties, we finally succeeded in trial production of NPS3/8 ~ NPS2 medium-pressure steel gate valves and globe valves, which were well received by users. In the second half of 1952, Shanghai Yuanta, Zhongxin, Weiye, Lianggong and other factories undertook the task of trial production and mass production of cast steel valves for petroleum. At that time, Soviet designs and standards were used, and the technicians learned by doing, and overcame many difficulties in production. The trial production of Shanghai cast steel valves was organized by the Ministry of Petroleum, and also obtained the cooperation of various factories in Shanghai. Asia Factory (now Shanghai Machine Repair Factory) provided steel castings that met the requirements, and Sifang Boiler Factory assisted in blasting. The test finally succeeded in the trial production of the cast steel valve prototype, and immediately organized mass production and sent it to Yumen Oilfield for use on time. At the same time, Shenyang Chengfa Iron Works and Shanghai Daxin Iron Works also provided low-pressure valves with larger nominal sizes for power plants, Anshan Iron and Steel Company to resume production and urban construction.

During the recovery of the national economy, my country’s valve industry has developed rapidly. In 1949, the valve output was only 387t, which increased to 1015t in 1952. Technically, it has been able to manufacture cast steel valves and low-pressure large valves, which not only provide matching valves for the recovery of the national economy, but also lay a good foundation for the future development of China’s valve industry.

02The valve industry started

In 1953, my country started its first five-year plan, and industrial sectors such as petroleum, chemical industry, metallurgy, electric power and coal all accelerated the pace of development. At this time, the need for valves is multiplied. At that time, although there were a large number of private small factories producing valves, their technical force was weak, their equipment was outdated, their factories were simple, their scales were too small, and they were too scattered. In order to meet the requirements of the rapid development of the national economy, the First Ministry of Machinery Industry (referred to as the First Ministry of Machinery) continues to reorganize and transform the original private enterprises and expand valve production. At the same time, there are plans and steps to build backbone and key valves. Enterprise, my country’s valve industry began to start.

1. The reorganization of the secondary valve industry in Shanghai

After the founding of New China, the Party implemented the policy of “utilization, restriction and transformation” for capitalist industry and commerce.

It turned out that there were 60 or 70 small valve factories in Shanghai. The largest of these factories only had 20 to 30 people, and the smallest only had a few people. Although these valve factories produce valves, their technology and management are very backward, the equipment and factory buildings are simple, and the production methods are simple. Some only have one or two simple lathes or belt machine tools, and there are only some crucible furnaces for casting, most of which are manually operated. , without design capability and testing equipment. This situation is neither suitable for modern production, nor can it meet the planned production requirements of the state, and it is impossible to control the quality of valve products. To this end, the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government has formed a joint venture with valve manufacturers in Shanghai, and established Shanghai Pipeline Switches No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6 and other central enterprises. Combining the above, centralized management in terms of technology and quality, which effectively unifies the scattered and chaotic management, thus greatly mobilizing the enthusiasm of the majority of employees to build socialism, this is the first major reorganization of the valve industry.

After the public-private partnership in 1956, the valve industry in Shanghai underwent the second adjustment and industrial restructuring on a large scale, and professional companies such as Shanghai Construction Hardware Company, Petroleum Machinery Parts Manufacturing Company and General Machinery Company were established. The valve company originally affiliated to the construction hardware industry has established Yuanda, Rongfa, Zhongxin, Weiye, Jinlong, Zhao Yongda, Tongxin, Fuchang, Wang Yingqi, Yunchang, Dehe, Jinfa, and Xie by region. There are about 20 central factories in Dalian, Yuchang, Deda, etc. Each central factory has several satellite factories under its jurisdiction. A party branch and a grass-roots joint labor union were established in the central plant. The government assigned public representatives to preside over administrative work, and correspondingly established production, supply, and financial business organizations, and gradually implemented management methods similar to state-owned enterprises. At the same time, the Shenyang area also merged 21 small factories into Chengfa Gate Valve Factory. Since then, the state has brought the production of small and medium-sized enterprises into the national planning track through management agencies at all levels, and has planned and organized valve production. This is a change in the production management of valve enterprises since the founding of New China.

2. Shenyang General Machinery Factory switched to valve production

At the same time as the reorganization of valve manufacturers in Shanghai, the First Machinery Department divided the production of the products of each directly-affiliated factory, and clarified the professional production direction of the directly-affiliated factories and larger local state-owned factories. Shenyang General Machinery Factory was converted into a professional valve manufacturer. enterprise. The predecessor of the factory was the bureaucratic capital enterprise mainland office and the Japanese pseudo-industry Dechang factory. After the founding of New China, the factory mainly produced various machine tools and pipe joints. In 1953, it began to produce woodworking machinery. In 1954, when it was directly under the management of the First Bureau of the Machinery Ministry, it had 1,585 employees and 147 sets of various machinery and equipment. And it has the production capacity of cast steel, and the technical force is relatively strong. Since 1955, in order to adapt to the development of the national plan, it has clearly switched to valve production, reconstructed the original metalworking, assembly, tool, machine repair and steel casting workshops, built a new riveting and welding workshop, and established a central laboratory and a metrological verification station. Some technicians were transferred from Shenyang Pump Factory. In 1956, 837t of low pressure valves were produced, and mass production of high and medium pressure valves began. In 1959, 4213t of valves were produced, including 1291t of high and medium pressure valves. In 1962, it was renamed Shenyang High and Medium Pressure Valve Factory and became one of the largest backbone enterprises in the valve industry.

3. The first climax of valve production

In the early days of the founding of New China, my country’s valve production was mainly solved by cooperation and battles. In the “Great Leap Forward” period, my country’s valve industry experienced its first production climax. Valve output: 387t in 1949, 8126t in 1956, 49746t in 1959, 128.5 times that of 1949, and 6.1 times that of 1956 when the public-private partnership was established. The production of high and medium pressure valves started late, and mass production began in 1956, with an annual output of 175t. In 1959, the output reached 1799t, which was 10.3 times that of 1956. The rapid development of national economic construction has promoted the great strides of the valve industry. In 1955, Shanghai Lianggong Valve Factory successfully trial-produced the Christmas tree valve for Yumen Oilfield; Shanghai Yuanda, Zhongxin, Weiye, Rongfa and other machine factories trial-produced cast steel, forged steel medium and high pressure valves and nominal pressure for oil fields and fertilizer plants High-pressure fertilizer valves of PN160 and PN320; Shenyang General Machinery Factory and Suzhou Iron Factory (the predecessor of Suzhou Valve Factory) successfully trial-produced high-pressure valves for Jilin Chemical Industry Corporation’s fertilizer factory; Shenyang Chengfa Iron Factory successfully trial-produced an electric gate valve with a nominal size of DN3000. It was the largest and heaviest valve in China at that time; Shenyang General Machinery Factory successfully trial-produced ultra-high pressure valves with nominal sizes of DN3 ~ DN10 and nominal pressures of PN1500 ~ PN2000 for the high-pressure polyethylene intermediate test device; Shanghai Daxin Iron Factory produced for the metallurgical industry The high-temperature hot air valve with a nominal size of DN600 and the flue valve of DN900; Dalian Valve Factory, Wafangdian Valve Factory, etc. have also achieved rapid development. The increase in the variety and quantity of valves has promoted the development of the valve industry. Especially with the construction needs of the “Great Leap Forward” industry, small and medium-sized valve factories have sprung up all over the country. By 1958, the national valve production enterprises had There are nearly one hundred, forming a huge valve production team. In 1958, the total output of valves rose to 24,163t, an increase of 80% over 1957; During this period of time, my country’s valve production had its first climax. However, due to the launch of valve manufacturers, it also brought a series of problems. For example: only pursuing quantity, not quality; “doing small and doing big, local methods”, lack of technological conditions; design while doing, lack of standard concepts; copy and copy, causing technical confusion. Due to their separate policies, each has a set of different styles. The terminology of valves is not uniform in different places, and the nominal pressure and nominal size series are not uniform. Some factories refer to Soviet standards, some refer to Japanese standards, and some refer to American and British standards. Very confusion. In terms of varieties, specifications, connection dimensions, structural length, test conditions, test standards, paint marks, physical and chemical, and measurement, etc. Many companies adopt the single-matching method of “matching the number of seats”, the quality is not guaranteed, the output is not up, and the economic benefits are not improved. The situation at that time was “scattered, chaotic, few, and low”, that is, valve factories scattered everywhere, chaotic management system, lack of unified technical standards and specifications, and low product quality. In order to reverse this situation, the state decided to organize relevant personnel to conduct a national production survey on the valve industry.

4. The first national valve production survey

In order to find out the valve production situation, in 1958, the First and Third Bureaus of the First Machinery Department organized a national valve production survey. The investigation team went to 4 regions and 24 cities in Northeast China, North China, East China and Central South China to conduct a comprehensive investigation on 90 valve factories. This is the first nationwide valve survey since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. At that time, the survey focused on valve manufacturers with larger scale and more varieties and specifications, such as Shenyang General Machinery Factory, Shenyang Chengfa Iron Factory, Suzhou Iron Factory, and Dalian Valve. Factory, Beijing Hardware Material Factory (predecessor of Beijing Valve Factory), Wafangdian Valve Factory, Chongqing Valve Factory, several valve manufacturers in Shanghai and Shanghai Pipeline Switch 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 factories, etc.

Through the investigation, the main problems existing in valve production have been basically found out:

1) Lack of overall planning and reasonable division of labor, resulting in repeated production and affecting the production capacity.

2) The valve product standards are not unified, which has caused great inconvenience to the user’s selection and maintenance.

3) The basis of measurement and inspection work is too poor, and it is difficult to ensure the quality of valve products and mass production.

In response to the above problems, the investigation team put forward three measures to the ministries and bureaus, including strengthening overall planning, rational division of labor, and organizing production and sales balance; strengthening standardization and physical and chemical inspection work, formulating unified valve standards; and carrying out experimental research. 1. The leaders of the 3rd Bureau attached great importance to this. First of all, they focused on the standardization work. They entrusted the Machinery Manufacturing Technology Research Institute of the First Ministry of Machinery to organize the relevant valve manufacturers to formulate the ministry-issued pipeline accessories standards, which were implemented in the industry in 1961. In order to guide the valve design of each factory, the institute has compiled and printed the “Valve Design Manual”. The pipeline accessories standard issued by the ministry is the first batch of valve standards in my country, and the “Valve Design Manual” is the first valve design technical data compiled by ourselves, which has played a positive role in improving the design level of valve products in my country. Through this nationwide survey, the crux of the development of my country’s valve industry in the past 10 years has been found out, and practical and effective measures have been taken to completely get rid of the chaotic imitation of valve production and lack of standards. Manufacturing technology took a big step forward and began to enter a new stage of self-design and organization of mass production.

03 Summary

From 1949 to 1959, my country’s valve industry quickly recovered from the mess of old China and started to start; from maintenance, imitation to self-made design and manufacture, from the manufacture of low pressure valves to the production of high and medium pressure valves, initially formed the valve manufacturing industry. However, due to the rapid development of production speed, there are also some problems. Since it was incorporated into the national plan, under the centralized management of the First Ministry of Machinery, the cause of the problem has been found through investigation and research, and practical and effective solutions and measures have been taken to enable valve production to keep up with the pace of national economic construction, and for the development of the valve industry. And the formation of industry organizations has laid a good foundation.